Box press



1 I 1,493,691 E. N. MAULL BOX PRESS.

Fi ed Oct. 3. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet May 13 1924;

INVENTOR.

. MquLL.

ATTORNEYS.

E. N. MAULL BOX PRESS May 13 1924. 1,493,691

Filed Oct. 3. 1921 2 Sheets-Skies; 2

Y INVENTOR. E N MHULL A TTORNEYS.

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Patented May 13, 19241.

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EDWARD N. MAULL, F ORLANDO, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR TO SKINNER MACHINERY COMPANY, OF DUNEDIN, FLORIDA, A CORPORATION OF FLORIDA.

BOX PRESS.

Application filed October a, 1921. Serial No. 504,850.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD N. MAULL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orlando, in the county of Orange nd State of Florida, have invented cert e new and useful Improvements in Box Presses, of which the following is specification.

The present invention relates to an im provement in bOX presses particularly that type of press designed for applying covers to boxes containing citrousfruits such as oranges and the like, and wherein a tie or re taining strap is employed for securing the center of the cover to the box.

Presses for this purpose heretofore manufactured have been provided with two levers or pedals, one for operating the cover holding arms, and the other for operating the securing strap or band, and the confusion in the operation of the pedals causes considerable loss of time thereby reducing the number of boxes packed and correspondingly increasing the cost thereof.

The principal object of this inventiton is to provide a single lever consisting of plural sections adapted to operate simultaneously for pressing downthe cover, and one adapted for independent operation when the band or strap is secured in position, thereby requiring but a single foot plate and overcoming the confusion of the operator in the operation of the apparatus.

Another object is to provide means for holding one of the lever sections in operative position during the securing of the ends of the cover to the box and during the subsequent application or tightening of the strap over the center of the cover.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the ac companying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in theform, proportion, size and minor details of construction.

within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. I

v To more fully comprehend .the invention, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings, .wherein:

Figure 1 1s a vlew in rear elevation of the preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a central sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in top plan.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the lever removed from the apparatus.

Figure 5 is a view in detailed side elevation of the lever disclosing the plural sections thereof.

Referring more particularly to the several views of the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts, 1 indicates an open supporting frame mounting a box support or table 2 on which is adapted to be positioned between the end guides 3 a box to which is to be applied a cover 5. Disposed vertically at the rear of the frame 1 is a suitable guide slot 6. formed by the parallel spaced angle members 7 secured at their lower end to the transverse connecting member 8 of the frame 1, and at 'thelr upper ends to the connecting bar 9 0f the end guides 3. Mounted for vertical reciprocation within the guide slot 6 is a frame 10 consisting of the front and rear parallel leg portions 11 bent at their lower ends to form a horizontal extension 12. The leg portions 11 are adapted to lie one on each side of a.guide roller '13 carried by a sup port 14 mounted in the rails 7. From the portion 12 depends a link 15 pivotally connected as at16 to a portion 17 of a lever fulcrumed at its rear end, as at 18,to a frame 19 secured to the rear of the frame 1. The portionof the lever 17 is of a length to terminate a short distance in front of the frame 1, and the same, at its free end, carries a retaining pawl 20 adapted to co-operate with a ratchet '21 formed in the member 22 supported by the frame 1. I The fulcrum 16 also serves as a point of attachment and fulcrum for the portion 23 of a lever which is'disposed in parallel alignment with the portion 17 and is of a length to project beyond the end of the portion 17,

of the portions 23 and 17, the two at this time serving as a single lever. On each initial depression of the-portion 23, the portion 17 is operated and is held until released in its depressed position by the pawl 20, and a coiled spring 27 connected. with the portion 23, and with a bracket 28, returns said portion 23 to its normal position for successive operation independently of the portion 17. A. spring 29 connected with the portion 17 adjacent its fulcrum 18, and at its opposite end with a bracket 30 through the adjusting bolt 31 returns said portion 17 to its normal position on the release of the pawl 20.

Upwardly extended from the frame 10 and connected therewith through the transverse supports 32 32 are the diverging arms 33 forwardly bent as at 34 forming supporting portions 35 overlying the support 2 above the box 4, and mounting presser plates or members 35 which are adapted to engage with the upper surface of the box cover 5 adjacent its opposite ends, and on the depression of the portion 17 of the lever to draw the ends of said cover 5 downwardly in contact with the box ends to permit the nailing thereof.

A metallic strap 36 for securing transversely of the center of the cover 5 extends transversely of the bottomof the frame 1 under the, guide rollers 37 and upwardly through a guide slot 38 in the portion 23 of the lever, one wall of said-guide slot being formed by a lug 39, having an inclined slot 40 therein, transversely through which ex tends a guide pin 41. The member 39 is normally drawn toward the free end of the portion 23 by a coiled spring 42, and the. strap material 36 extending upwardly through said slot 38 passes beneath the guide 43 transversely over the cover 5, and is secured at its end to the rear face of the box, and on a downward depression of the portion 23 after the portion 17 has been depressed, the strap 36 is drawn tightly over the center of the cover 5, and is lying in the position adjacent the front surface of the'box enabling the nailing of the strap thereto and the severing of the same from the portion thereof passing upwardly through the slot 38.

The device is operated in the following manner :A box with a cover loosely applied thereto is positioned on the table 2, and the operator depresses the portion 23 of the lever, which through the contact of the interengaging parts 25 and 26 causes a movement of the portion 17 simultaneously therewith. This action, through the link l5 and arms 33 causes the drawing downwardly of the ends of the cover 5 into contact with the box ends to permit the nailing thereof. and during this operation the pawl 20 holds the portion 17 in its depressed position. After the ends of the box cover are nailed, the operator draws the material 36 upwardly through the slot 38 transversely over the center of the box cover 5 and secures the free end thereof to the rear wall of the box. Power is then applied to the portion 23 of the lever operating the same independently of the portion 17, tightly drawing the material 36 over the box cover enabling the securing of the same to the front of the box and the sever ing of the strap from is main body, at which time the'depression of the portion 23 is permitted to enable the release of the pawl 20, permitting the spring 29 to raise the portion 17 together with the fulcrum 16 to release themembers 35' from the ends of the cover 5. i

It will be observed that the connections 32 between the ends of upper and lower supports 32 and 32 and the arms 33 afford a mounting and equalizing frame for the arms and permit of a pivotal movement between said supports and arms. The frame forming supports 32 and 32 are pivotally connected as at 32 in their center, as in Figure 1, and the upper support is preferably of greater length than the lower, holding the arms 33 in a divergent position relative to each other. This construc tion affords an equalizer for the upper ends of arms 33 ensuring the conformation of the presser plates or members 35' to the contour of the cover 5 when the ends thereof are pressed downwardly.

It willbe'observed that this construction of the hang and short frame forming supports 32 and 32. which are in turn pivotally mounted and connected at their corresponding. ends through the lower ends of arms 33, ensures that on the vertical movement of the part 11 the imparting to the arms 35 of a movement perpendicular to the surface of the cover 5.

I claim 1. A box press consisting of a box support, a pair of reciprocating cover pressing arms overhanging the support, and each formed with a box cover engaging a face said faces at all times being disposed angularlv to the support with their planes intersecting approximately above the transverse center thereof, and means for operating said cover pressing arms. I

2. A box cover press and center tie applying apparatus, the same consisting of a support and a pair of vertically guided .cover pressing members, means fordrawing the cover center and ends to the box. comprising a lever consisting of two parts, one part connected with said members for simultaneously operating the same, releasable means for retaining said part in its operated position, and a second part co-opcrating with the first part and adapted when operated to cause the simultaneous operation therewith of said first part, restoring means co-operating with eachpart.

3. A box press consisting of a box support, a pair of cover pressing arms overlying the support and each formed with a box cover engaging face disposed one above each end of the support, a vertically movable part for operating said arms, a pair of supports pivotally connected to said part and each pivotally connected at its opposite ends with co-operating arms, said supports maintaining said arms in an upwardly and outwardly diverging position.

4. A box press and center tie applying apparatus, the same consisting of a support a pair of cover pressing members, a two part lever, one part projecting beyond the other and carrying a foot plate at its free end, a fulcrum for the second part, a fulcrum connection between the first and second parts, said second part lying within the path of the first part whereby, on the opera tion of the first part, the second part will be operated to actuate said cover pressing arms, releasable means for holding the said second part in its operated position to permit the free independent movement of the first part, and a gripping device on said first part.

In testimony whereof I have signed my25 name to this specification.

EDW. N. MAULL. 

